Thursday, February 13, 2014

Once again it is mid February and soon it will be time to head to Minnesota for Marscon and its Dementia track. As I do every year, here is my personal assessment of the main stage performers hopefully in chronological order:

Possible Oscar A- This is the one artist which will benefit the most by the convention moving to the Doubletree Hotel. They play best loud and the room that hosted the music at Marscon over the past 7 years had a low ceiling which made it overwhelming at times.

Power Salad A- Always enjoy his music and hanging out with Chris off stage at the con.

TV's Kyle A- Another person who I enjoy his presence off stage as much as on stage who was my daughter's favorite American based performer last year.

Insane Ian A- Last year in my best of 2013 show, I featured four of his songs. Sometimes there seems to be something missing when his music is performed live.

Worm Quartet A It doesn't matter that I have usually heard everything he performs before. It is still that enjoyable to watch.

Carrie Dahlby B Returning to the main stage after a while. She has definitely made other acts better over the years with her awesome voice.

Devo Spice A I was somewhat skeptical about his new CD all about Dr. Who thinking 12 songs about one topic would be monotonous. I was pleased by how each song seemed fresh and the total depth of the songs in the CD about the 50 years of the show.

the great Luke Ski A A while ago, I suggested it would be understandable if he gave up his main stage slot to work on running the con since it was showing in his performance. However, he has retooled his act to make it easier for him and more enjoyable for the audience.

Meep Morp featuring Dr. Demento A+ I can't wait to see Dr. Demento
since it has been 10 years. I want to thank him for playing the songs in
which I was involved.

Henry Phillips A- I only know a few of his songs and can't wait to hear his full act.

DJ Particle C+ I am not that familiar with the music she has done over the past 4 or 5 years.

Beth Kinderman (and the Player Characters) B- On a Saturday night at Windycon (held in the Chicago area in November), I really enjoy her work. I support her party room and occasionally stop by to see some of the acts that perform and she is an awesome person.

Mikey Mason A- Saw him last year at Marscon and Gencon and have enjoyed his submissions to the FuMP and his CDs.

FuMP Jukebox B- As I have said in past years, this is a great format for those who are not as experienced or accomplished as others.

Dementia Smackdown B The last gasp of the musical magic that is Marscon. To be honest, I am usually worn out by this time and don't want it to end but I know it must.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

I am well aware that most of the people who would read this would not care but I am writing this to get these thoughts out of my head similar to my story A Madman December 25th Carol. I have one thing per decade.

60s: Two of the players that would made their league's all 1960s decade team, Paul Hornung and Don Maynard, were not a part of their team's win. Hornung who was at the end of his career was the the only Green Bay Packer to not see the field in Super Bowl I and Maynard had a hamstring injury for Super Bowl III while caused him to just be a decoy and not have a pass thrown towards him. It is likely that Maynard's injury helped the Jets since it caused them to be conservative on offense.

70s: There has only been one ball in Super Bowl history to hit the crossbar preventing points and it was a pass. In Super Bowl VII, the Redskins had an open receiver in the end zone but the pass struck the crossbar since the goal post was on the goal line through the 1973 season. The Redskins lost by those 7 points. I also know Golden Richards TD catch in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XII would not be allowed today and to be honest it should have not been allowed then under those rules but it did not decide the game.

80s: Though no team has played the Super Bowl on their home field, twice did the NFC team play in their metropolitan area. The Rams played Super Bowl XIV in the Rose Bowl though their team played in the Los Angeles Coliseum 18 miles away and the 49ers played Super Bowl XIX in Stanford Stadium 27 miles away which is closer to San Francisco to where the 49ers new stadium is being built. Also, the 49ers (as I predicted to my father being unhappy that the game was like a home game to the 49ers as their coach Bill Walsh stated) played a home game in Stanford Stadium after the 1989 Bay Area earthquake.

90s: In the final play of Super Bowl XXXIV, Tennessee Titan Kevin Dyson caught a pass and was tackled a half yard short of the goal line. During the drive, Tennessee had first down on the Rams 45 yard line. They completed a 7 yard pass while St Louis was offsides. Titans coach Coach Jeff Fisher took the penalty. I commented about it at the time and the 2 yards they lost that play was the difference. (Yes, I know that game was played in January 2000 but it is close enough)

00s: I have two. In both Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVI there was a dominant team facing a team lucky to be in the playoffs. Early in both games the dominant team threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. In Super Bowl XXXV, the Giants were called for a mediocre penalty while allowed Baltimore to keep possession and in Super Bowl XXXVI, the play held up in spite of the fact that the Patriots defender hit Rams QB Kurt Warner in the helmet after he let go of the pass. Even back then that is usually called a penalty.

So? Baltimore score on that possession and routed the Giants and that Patriots TD allowed them to upset the Rams.

Denver Broncos coach John Fox today becomes the 6th person to be the head coach of two different franchises in Super Bowl history (Shula, Parcells, Vermeil, Reeves, Holmgren).

People (after what should be the non issue of "nipplegate" which happened during the unnecessary half time show) remember Super Bowl XXXVIII and Adam Viniteri kicking a game winning field goal in the 32-29 game. Technically the field goal is not the winning margin.

with 12:39 left in the game, Carolina down 21-10 scored a TD and went for 2 (to be down by 3) and missed. They scored another TD with 6:53 left and went for 2 (to be up by 3) and missed. When New England scored a TD with 2:51 left they made their 2 point conversion to be up by 7. Had John Fox not chased points early in the 4th quarter, Vinitieri's field goal would have tied the game at 31 and the game would have gone into overtime.